Apparatus for assisting the crew of a sunken submarine



June 30, 1931. s. LEONE 1,812,637

APPARATUS FOR ASSISTING THE CREW OF A SUNKEN SUBMARINE Filed Sept. 17. 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 $77 1 1 nvmvrm,

51 final de Leone, BY

and! ATTORNEY- June 30, 1931. s. LEONE 1,812,637

APPARATUS FOR ASSISTING THE cngw OF A SUNKEN SUBMARINE Filed Sept. 17. 192? 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR,

sini blllda S. LEONE June 30, 1931.

APPARATUS FOR ASSISTING THE cm OF A SUNKEN SUBMARINE Filed Sept.

17, 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 l/VVE/VTOR, simlmmouom. BY

- ATTORNEY APPARATUS FOR ASSISTING THE CREW OF A SUNKEN SUBMARINE S. LEONE June 30, 1931.

Filed Sept. 17, 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR, Si-qiba'lda L e on e Patented June 30, 1931 PATENT OFFICE SINIBALDO LEONE, F PATERSON, NEW JERSEY APPARATUS FOR ASSISTING THE CREW OF A SUNKEN SUBMARINE Application filed September 17, 1929.

The object of this invention is to provide an apparatus useful in keeping the crew of a helpless sunken submarine supplied with fresh air, power and food and other necessities of life until their rescue canbe effected, thesame to be of such a character that it can be readily established in operative condition by the crew of a rescue vessel having competent divers and may be relied on to function with the least danger of mishap.

In the drawing-s, Fig. l is a diagrammatic view showing the apparatus in use;

Fig. 2 is a view of the apparatus partly in section on line 22, Fig. 5, and partly in side elevation, this view showing certain automatic valve control mechanism applied only to the foul-air conductor;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of a gang or set of the conductors of my apparatus;

Fig. 4 is a plan of one of the clamps of such gang;

Fig. 5 is a top fragmentary plan of the submarine, showing certain fittings in an arrangement of the conductors somewhat different from that of Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 illustrates in plan, and (here) for use with the apparatus as seen in Fig. 5,

the automatic valve-control mechanism applied to all three of the tubular conductors; and

Figs. 7 and 8 show in side elevations at right angles to each other, and partly in section, certain, parts of the mechanism appearing in Fig. 6.

Let 1 denote a sunken submarine and 2 any rescue craft having a derrick 3 and tackle 4 for supporting the apparatus of my invention whenlowered to the submarine, all these being diagrammatically shown in Fig. 1.

I provide conductors for conveying respectively, fresh air, power and supplies, such as food, to the crew in distress in the submarine, and also for conveying away the foul air. All these conductors are preferably flexible, the two air and the supplies conductors being of course tubes. These conductors and the submarine, according to the invention, have suitable equipment Serial No. 393,253.

whereby, when the conductors have been lowered, a diver may with the least amount of hazard and in an expeditious manner connect the conductors with the submarine. There is also provision for automatically closing off admission of sea water to the submarine should any of the tubular conductors break or develop a considerable leak after they are connected. Further, certain of the conductors, as the smaller-diametered ones, are assembled as a gang or assembly and lowered as such. Certain of the conductors are preferably sectional so that in lowering each may be built up or added to at its upper end, section after section, until this procedure has resulted in the conductor attaining a length to reach the submarine. Further, when the conductors have been lowered and connected to the submarine there is provision for staying them so that the motion of the sea shall be assumed by the staying means and not by the conductors. Describing my apparatus now in detail,

5, 6 and 7 designate conductors formed by the fresh-air tube, foul-air exhaust tube and electric light or other current wire, respectively, and 8 designates the supplies tube conductor. These are all flexible, and the conductors 6 and 8 are preferably made up in sections which may be joined together by couplings, as for example the coupling 00 shown in Fig. 3, especially where the diameter of the conductor is such that it can more conveniently be stored and handled when in sections than when in single-piece lengths whose longitudinal dimension will be adequate for any depth that may be encountered. Each of the conductors 5, 6, 7

and 8 has a coupling device 5a, 6a, 700 and 8a adapted to be connected, by screwing, with a complementary device with which the submarine is equipped, as will appear, and above the coupling the (tubular) conductors 5, 6 and 8 have shut-off valves 5?), 6b and 8b which are to be closed when these conductors are lowered.

On the submarine, so as to afford communication through its shell 1a, are suitably secured tubular fittings 9, 10, 11 and 12 each having a coupling device or portion 9a, 10a, 11a and 1.2a to which the coupling devices 565, 6a, 7a and 80a may be attached and the fittings 9, 10 and 12 also having (normally closed) shut-off valves 9?), 10k) and 125.

Thus the conductors may be coupled with the submarine. The conductor 8 and the conductors 5, 6 and 7 (which latter, as has been mentioned and as will further appear, are assembled as a gang when the; coupling to the submarine is effected) have special means whereby by a simple thrust motion temporary coupling may be established which will maintain the said conductors in proper relation to the submarine fittings until the permanent coupling by the coupling devices already described have been effected, thus to relieve the diver, during this permanent coupling operation, of the work of keeping the conductors in position. This means will be later described.

At suitable intervals and at its upper end each of the conductors 6 and 8 has clips or hangers 13 secured thereon and provided with eyes 13a; this is shown (in Fig. 3) only in connection with the conductor 6, but it will be understood that conductor 8 is similarly equipped. By means of the tackle 4 and chains 14 to be attached thereto and having hooks 14a to be engaged with the hangers, each conductor (5 and 8 may be lowered, to wit: having attached the chains by means of their hooks to a hanger the conductor is lowered, then another section coupled to the upper end (by coupling and other chains attached and the first set detached and the conductor again lowered, this process being continued until the conductor reaches the approximate depth occupied by the submarine. Thereupon the tackle t and chains are used to support the conductor and adjust it up or down in forming the joint between the same and the corresponding fitting, as will appear (Fig. 1). It is preferred to form a gang of as many of the conductors as possible, as the conductors 5, 6 and 7 (all of the lesser diameter and hence wei ht), wherefore in Figs. 3 and i is shown a clamp 15 by which they may at intervals be held together. This clamp comprises an annular split mid-portion 15a to embrace conductor 6 and having a bolt 15?) to cause said portion to clamp the conductor, and two annular end-portions 15c one-half of each of which has a spring-lock engagement 15d with the other half so as to exert clamping pressure on conductor 5 or 7.

The mentioned means to temporarily couple a conductor, as 8, or the gang of conductors, to the submarine is as follows (referring to the coupling means for conductor 8 shown in Fig. 2, the coupling means for the gang being substantially the same): The upper end of the fitting 12 has a tapered internal seat 16, and

it also has two or more pawls 17 (only one being shown) each of which is normally urged inwardly by a spring 18 but may be retracted against the tension of the spring by turning a screw 19 tapped into a housing 20 of the fitting and loosely penetrating the pawl but having a head 19a to engage the same inwardly thereof. The lower end of the conductor has an external tapered seat 21 to engage seat 16 and upward of each seat a locking groove 22. When the conductor (or gang of conductors) has been lowered sufficiently the diver places the lower end of conductor 8 (or 6) in alinement with the seat 16 and having signalled the rescue crew to lower, when this is done said end of the conductor will enter seat 16 and become locked and held by the pawls 17, being by this interlock and the tele scoping shown in Fig. 2 maintained in a definite position until he can make fast the coupling formed by devices 8a12a (6a-- 10a) and hence also seal the joint formed. The screws 19 are useful in withdrawing the pawl when, upon the raising of the submarine, the conductors are to be detached.

Of course all the valves of the conductors 5, 6 and 8 and their fittings (as valve 12b- 86) are kept closed until the diver has completed the joining of the conductors to the fittings, whereupon they may be opened.

Inside the submarine each conductor has a closing means, as valves 90, 10c and 12a and a screw cap 110. These are all normally closed. When the diver has completed the joints as described he operates a signal, as a manually actuated hell 3/ (Fig. 2) to notify the submarine crew to that effect so that these valves may be opened (if not already so) and the cap removed and the plug 23a of an electric conductor 23 for the electric lighting and the like systems within thesubmarine may be fitted into the socket 7b therefor of conductor 7 in fitting 11.

z is a glazed opening. There will be one for each compartment of the submarine, and it permits the crew of the submarine to expose a light 2 to the exterior to indicate to the diver in which compartment they are located. Of course there will be fittings 9, 10, 11 and 12 for each such compartment.

The rescue crew may now pump fresh air to and withdraw the foul air from the submarine and supply the current for its elec tric system and also deliver food and other supplies by the different conductors. Conductor 12 may have a hinged cap 12c provided with some latch device (not shown) to keep it normally closed and on which the articles delivered via this conductor may fall, to be removed by the crew upon opening the cap; 12/ illustrates diagrammatically a signal device to be actuated by the falling supplies to give notice to the submarine crew of the delivery thereof.

In order to stay the conductors cables 25 may be reevedthrough eyes 250; (as on the clamps 15) of the conductors, arranged at intervals thereon, and these fastened at their ends securely to the rescue ship and submarine and drawn taut; thusthe conductors will be protected from strain incident to shifting of the rescue vessel from any cause or to themotion of the sea. In Fig. l the vessel 2 is shown not'yet positioned for securing the cables in taut condition. v

For protecting the crew against inrush of water should either of the conductors of larger capacity (6 or 8) part or otherwise permit a large volume of water to enter the valve proper or gate of each valve 90 100 and 120 may have a handle 26 by which the crew can then close each valve. But it is preferred to eflect this closing automatically, thus:

Said crank (see Fig. 2, valve 100) is normally held by a roller 27d on one arm 2700 of a two armed lever 27 in the position where the valve is open. This two armed lever may be fulcrumed in a bracket 28 and its other arm 27?) is connected by a slot-and-pin connection 270 (Fig. 2) with-a bell-crank lever 29, fulcrumed in bracket 30, which has a dish-like or broad end 29a opposite the passage through the adjoining fitting. The crank 26 is normally urged to close the valve by a weight 31 acting thereon through a flexible connection 32 extending over a pulley 33. If water in appreciable quantity should enter by said fitting its impact with the end 2941!, of lever 29 will move the lever system 2729 to trip the arm, which under the action of the weight will close the valve.

In Figs 5 and 6 one lever system 29-27, actuated by inrush of water at one conductor (as 100), controls the valve cranks 26 of all,

three tubular conductors. The valve cranks 26 of the valves 100 and 9c are connected by a link 34 (the conductors 5 and 6 to which said valves appertain being here abeam of each other) and the valve cranks of the valves 90 and 120 are connected by a link 34a, so that all these valves may move together, and the thus-interconnected cranks 26 are subject to the action of a single weight 31 and connection 32. The lever 27 may have a tripable engagement (in the manner already described) with only one lever 26, to wit, by its arm 27a, but it is shown with an additional arm 27a (Fig. 5) having such engagement with the other lever 26.

If therefore, inrush of water at either 90 or 120 moves either lever 27 in this system all the valves 90, 100 and 126 will be closed by a single weight.

It is best that the valves 90, 100 and 120 be maintained open as well when the submarine is operating as when it is in distress and that there should be a safeguard against their becoming closed, as by lever system 27-29 being shifted to cause the closing due to the motion of the submarine or otherwise, it being noted that roller 27d invites easy clearing of lever arm 27a from lever 26. Hence 35 is a fixed segment guide which here penetrates the lever 26 for valve 100 and has a notch 35a, and 36 is a latch which straddles the lever and has a guide lug 36a engaged in notch 35m and a keeper lug 36b engaged with lever 26, 37 being a flexible connection (omitted in Fig. v6 but shown in Figs. 7 and 8) extending from the latch up over a pulley 38 and down to lever 29. The weight of the latch keeps it in the locking position shown. (This mechanism is only partly shown in Figs. 2 and5.) In the example the lever 26 is doubly locked by lever arm 27c and by the latch. Thus the valves may be put in condition for automatic closing only when an occupant of the compartment having such valves intentionally sets the mechanism for that purpose, to wit, when the tubular connections have been established for that purpose and the hazard of one of such connections admitting water arises. Otherwise, if the occupants were unconscious, the valves might be closed automatically, due to some shock tripping them, and communication between the res cue vessel and such compartment would be shutoff.

Operation-When the sunken submarine is located by the rescue vessel the gang of conductors is first organized and lowered; the diver can if desired be lowered with it, he using it as his support. On reaching the bottom he first locates by the aperture 2 the compartment in which the crew are assembled, whereupon he temporarily enters the end of conductor 6 into the fitting 10 and locks it by means of the pawls, whereby the gang will be held fixed until he can complete the joints by manipulating the screw devices 5a, 6a and 7a. Until this time the external valves 5?) and 6b, and the internal valves 90 and 100 and cap 110 have been closed. These may now be opened so as to permit communication between theinterior of the submarine and the rescue vessel, as described. Subsequently the conductor 8 and its accessories may be manipulated in the same way, so that food and other necessaries may be passed to the submarine crew.

Of course either of the closing means 9?) or 90, etc. might be employed without the other. But if only the means 97) etc., were used the submarine crew would be unprotected against the possibility of catastrophe due to inrush of water if a conductor were disrupted; and if only the means 90 etc., were used there would be the possibility, through mistake in interpreting signals between the crew and the diver, or some other cause, of the means 90, etc., being opened before the conductor had properly been connected by the diver, especially if the automatic closing means is not a part of the equipment. It is therefore an important feature of my invention that the tubular structure (as 99c) which is on the submarine shall have two shut-off means, one external and the other internal.

Having thus fully described my invention what I claim is:

1. Apparatus for assisting the crew of a sunken submarine comprising a tubular structure having its passage affording communication between the interior and exterior of the submarine and also having a shut-off valve, a tubular conductor adapted to be delivered and supported at one end from a rescue craft and having a shut-off valve at the other end, said structure and the latter end of said conductor being enterable one telescopically into the other and having a coacting pawl and catch shoulder to interlock them against separation and also having means thereupon to form a sealed joint between them, and means extending to the exterior of the apparatus for disengaging the pawl from said shoulder.

2. Apparatus for assisting the crew of a sunken submarine comprising a tubular structure having its passage affording communication between the interior and eXterior of the submarine and also having a shut-off valve and a tubular conductor adapted to be delivered and supported at one end from a rescue craft and having a shutoif valve at its other end, said structure and the latter end of said conductor having means to form a sealed joint between them, and said conductor having at intervals in its length hangers fixedly attached thereto to which to attach tackle on the rescue craft for lowering the conductor to the submarine.

3. Apparatus for assisting the crew of a sunken submarine comprising a plurality of conductors to afford communication between the interior and exterior of a sunken submarine, means to clamp the conductors to gether side by side as a gang and at intervals in their lengths and comprising independent clamping portions for the respective conductors, and means to operatively connect each conductor at one end with the submarine while the other end of each is supported by the rescue craft.

4. Apparatus for assisting the crew of a sunken submarine comprising a plurality of conductors to afford communication between the interior and exterior of the submarine, means to clamp the conductors together side by side as a gang and at intervals in their lengths and each comprising independent clamping portions for the respective conductors, each such means having an eye, a stay, adapted to be connected at one end to the rescue craft and at the other to the submarine, extending through said eyes, and means to operatively connect each conductor at one end with the submarine while the othefa' end of each is supported by the rescue cra 5. In combination, with a submarine, a tubular fitting affording communication between the exterior and interior thereof, a shut-off valve for the passage 'of said fitting, and means to control the valve including a Water-actuated member arranged in the path of water admitted through said passage from the exterior and adapted to be moved thereby.

6. In combination, with a submarine, a tubular fitting affording communication between the exterior and interior thereof, a shut-off valve for the passage of saidfitting normally urged into closing relation to the passage, and movable means normally obstructlng closing movement of the valve having a part thereof arranged in the path of water admitted through said passage from the exterior and adapted to be moved thereby to release the valve.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

SINIBALDO LEONE. 

